President-elect Donald Trump appears to have picked NFL tycoon Woody Johnson to be US ambassador to the UK.
Mr Trump introduced the New York Jets owner as « the ambassador Woody Johnson, going to Saint James », during a luncheon in Washington.
The 69-year-old billionaire philanthropist and heir of the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical giant has known Mr Trump for many years.
But he originally backed Trump rival Jeb Bush in the Republican primary.
« Congratulations, Woody, » said Mr Trump in the presidential ballroom of Trump International hotel in Washington DC, on the eve of his swearing in as the 45th US president.
The plum diplomatic appointment – known formally as Ambassador of the United States to the Court of St James – has not yet been formally announced.
Kim Darroch, the UK ambassador to the US, was among the first to tweet his congratulations to Mr Johnson.
« Surely you can replicate the success of @NYJets in London 2015, » Mr Darroch added.
The people around Donald Trump
Although he’s probably best known as the owner of the long-suffering New York Jets American football team, Johnson is quite familiar in conservative circles, having contributed millions of dollars to Republican causes.
Like many big-money donors, Johnson was an early supporter of Governor Jeb Bush’s presidential campaign – and was once cited by Donald Trump as an example of how the former Florida governor was in the thrall of big-money interests. Mr Trump even fired off a tweet mocking the Jets’ lack of postseason success.
The heir to the pharmaceutical and consumer products company Johnson & Johnson threw his support behind Mr Trump when it was clear he would be the party’s nominee, however. He then served as a loyal fundraiser and adviser during the general election campaign.
It looks like that move will pay off with one of the top ambassadorships – a prize that is traditionally given to only the most prolific donors or best-connected political insiders.
With an NFL owner in the Court of St James, can a new team in London be far behind?
